Details on How to Follow Tomorrow’s Rocky Mountain Cup Match in Colorado;

MLS Game Guide for RSL v. Rapids Now Available Online

SANDY, Utah (Thursday, October 13, 2011) – Real Salt Lake (15-11-6, 51 pts.; 3rd in West) will look to keep the Rocky Mountain Cup on the Wasatch Front for a fifth consecutive year when it visits the archrival Colorado Rapids (11-9-12, 45 pts.; 5th in West) tomorrow, Friday, October 14. The 8:30 p.m. MT kickoff at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., will be nationally televised on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, while live radio coverage can be heard on ESPN 700 and ESPN700Sports.com (English) and Juan 1600-AM (Spanish).

In addition, RSL fanatics are invited to join up to view MLS’ best rivalry at any of the Official ESPN 700 Watch Parties for Real Salt Lake, taking place at all six ‘Bout Time Pub & Grub locations across the Salt Lake valley.

Following are links to the MLS Game Guide (Game Notes) in advance of Friday’s Rocky Mountain Cup contest between Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. If you have any problems viewing the document, would like the document sent as an attachment or are seeking more information on the match, please contact John Koluder in the RSL Communications Department via email at jkoluder@RealSaltLake.com.

RSL has dominated the Rocky Mountain Cup in recent years, having held the trophy on the Wasatch Front since 2007. With a 1-0 win over the Rapids in the teams’ first meeting at Rio Tinto Stadium back on April 13, Real Salt Lake has positioned itself as the favorite to win the RMC for the fifth straight season. It won’t be a walk in the park, however, as RSL is currently experiencing one of its worst runs of form ever under coach Jason Kreis. With Thursday’s loss against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place, RSL suffered its fourth consecutive MLS loss – something that has happened just once since Kreis became head coach in May 2007. The only other four-game losing streak RSL has experienced with Kreis coaching came in July 2007, just 10 games after he took the position.

RSL’s Rocky Mountain Cup History

Real Salt Lake may trail the overall series 7-8-6, but it’s the Utahns that have controlled the rivalry as of late, posting a 5-2-4 record across the last 11 meetings dating back to the middle of the 2007 campaign – not coincidentally after trading for MF Kyle Beckerman and DF Chris Wingert from its rivals. 2007 marked the first season RSL claimed the Rocky Mountain Cup trophy for its supporters following a 7-4 win in points, and the Utah side has managed to retain possession of the Cup after series splits in each of the last three regular seasons.

Real Salt Lake is 2-5-3 on the road all-time against the Rapids, which includes a mark of 1-2-3 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The teams have met in their respective regular season finales each of the past four years, with huge playoff implications on the line each time. Back in 2007, a late goal by FW Robbie Findley gave RSL a 1-0 win for its first-ever piece of hardware, while simultaneously knocking Colorado from playoff contention. In 2008, RSL drew 1-1 at DSG Park, a late Yura Movsisyan rebound allowing the Claret-and-Cobalt to advance to the postseason for the first time ever and leave the Rapids at home once again, while in 2009 RSL dominated the Rapids 3-0 in Utah on the final weekend to pave its path to an eventual MLS Cup victory. Last year, both teams were already advanced into the playoffs, and while Álvaro Saborío’s stoppage time brace forced a surprise 2-2 draw in Colorado, that result, coupled with LA’s win 24 hours later, eliminated RSL from Supporters’ Shield contention.